Sandwich foam coextrusion for high performance polyolefin trash bags

ABSTRACT

There is provided a 3-ply trash bag prepared by a sandwich foam, blown film coextrusion process. The skin layers are composed essentially of high performance polyolefins such as linear low density polyethylene. The foamed middle layer imparts to the bag improved structural integrity and stiffness, an independent tear mechanism for the skin layers, and improved TD tear strength.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to 3-ply trash bags containing skin layers of high performance polyolefin films prepared by a sandwich foam coextrusion process.

Since about 1978, high performance polyolefins, such as linear low density polyethylene polymers, have been available at sufficient cost and quantity to justify their commercial use in trash bags including heavy duty garbage bags, leaf bags and trash can liners. By use of such polymers, bags of remarkably thin gauge and flexibility can be achieved without sacrificing the strength characteristics of thicker gauge bags made from other polymers. However, high performance polyolefin bags of thin overall gauge tend to have a "limp", "flimsy" feel. Accordingly, even though such thin bags may have more than adequate stength for trash containment, the user may refrain from using these bags, because he may be misled by the flimsy feel of the bags. If a bag breaks because of misuse, the user may tend to unjustifiably blame the breakage on the thin nature of the bag.

In addition to having a high degree of strength per unit thickness, bags composed primarily from high performance polyolefins tend to have a high degree of flexibility. These properties present a number of handling problems to the user of the bag. First of all, for example, when the opposing walls of the bag are folded one on the other in the conventional orientation for packaging a number of bags, these walls lack sufficient independent structural integrity to stand alone and tend to conform tightly one to another. Accordingly, it is often difficult to locate the opening of the bag, and, once the opening is located, the opposite walls of the bag often must be peeled apart. Another problem associated with the large degree of flexibility of the walls is that the walls will tend to collapse, e.g., when the bag is held in the open position. More particularly, when one attempts to hold such a flexible bag open by grasping and spreading opposite ends of the opening in an attempt to form a more or less circular configuration, the ungrasped portions of the bag tend to droop in a frustrating fashion. It can be extremely difficult to load trash or leaves in a bag with such a droopy opening.

Even when a circular opening is maintained by using such a light weight flexible trash bag as a trash can liner, problems may still result from excessive flexibility. For example, the bag may tend to fold in on itself instead of conforming to the shape of the trash receptacle. This folding may result in the bag being subjected to excessive destructive forces, e.g., when heavy objects are thrown into the receptacle.

Accordingly, there is a need to impart improved structural properties to trash bag structures having high performance polyolefins.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a three-ply plastic bag structure suitable for containing trash or garbage, said bag structure comprising:

(i) outermost and innermost skin layers essentially composed of one or more high performance polyolefin resins, said skin layers being of equal or different thickness, said skin layers each having a thickness between about 0.25 and about 0.50 mils; and

(ii) a middle foamed thermoplastic layer having a density of at least 25% less than the density of the corresponding unfoamed version of said layer, the thickness of said foamed layer being between about 0.25 and about 1.5 mils.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for improving the handleability and strength characteristics of a bag structure containing high performance polyolefin, said method comprising interposing a foamed thermoplastic layer between two high performance polyolefin skin layers by a blown film coextrusion process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The high performance polyolefins suitable for use in accordance with aspects of the present invention include linear low density polyethylenes, linear high density polyethylenes and similar polyolefins having comparable strength characteristics when extruded into blown films. Preferred high performance polyolefins are linear low density polyethylenes. Such linear low density polyethylenes are described in the Anderson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,698, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference Non-linear low density polyolefins, e.g., produced by a high pressure process in the absence of a Ziegler-type catalyst, are expressly excluded as coming under the definition of high performance polyolefins.

The skin layers of the 3-ply bag structures in accordance with the present invention are essentially composed of high performance polyolefins. Accordingly, these layers may be composed entirely of the high performance polyolefins or may contain a minor portion, e.g., up to about 25% by weight, of a compatible thermoplastic resin capable of being blended with the high performance polyolefin without substantially reducing the strength characteristics of films extruded therefrom. Such compatible thermoplastic resins include, non-linear low density polyethylene, polybutylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, and polyethylene terephthalate.

The skin layers may be of equal or different thickness. These layers may each have a thickness between about 0.25 and 0.50 mils, more preferably, between about 0.30 and 0.40 mils.

Interposed between the skin layers is a foamed thermoplastic layer. This foamed thermoplastic layer has a density of at least 25% less then the density of the corresponding unfoamed version of the layer. In other terms, the foamed thermoplastic layer should have a void volume of at least 25%, more preferably from about 30% to about 75%. The thickness of the foamed layer may be between about 0.25 and about 1.5 mils, more preferably between about 0.5 and about 1.0 mils.

The thermoplastic layer may be composed of any resin or combination of resins which are capable of being foamed and coextruded with the above-described skin layers. Such resins include the following: linear and non-linear, high and low density, polyethylene; polypropylene; ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers; and polyethylene terephthalate. Preferred resins for the foamed layer include non-linear, low density polyethylenes, especially those particularly adapted for foaming.

The bag structures of the present invention may have an overall thickness of, e.g., about 2.5 mils or less or even about 1.5 mils or less.

The plies of the plastic bag structure of the present invention may be formed in a manner analogous to known manners for forming bag structures which differ from those of the present invention in that they do not contain foamed plies. However, one or more suitable foaming agents may be incorporated into the melt stream corresponding to the foamed ply. Examples of such foaming agents, sufficient foaming amounts of such agents and methods of foaming with such agents are given in the Mixon et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,957, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

An example of a procedure for manufacturing bags is as follows. Polymer melt is extruded (or coextruded) through an annular die forming a tube bounded by pneumatically closed nip rolls on one end and the die face of the other. The tube is inflated by pressurized air flowing through the die and exiting from the die face within the confines of the tube (or bubble, when inflated). The circular bubble is collapsed into a continuous double thickness layflat after encountering collapsing shields and the nip rolls, in that order. After nipping, the layflat feeds over a number of idler rolls and is slit in the middle to form two separate U-folded layflats. These are fed to a bag machine where a hot seal bar burns through across both webs, simultaneously forming four heat seals, corresponding to two finished bags. The bags exit the bag machine and are individually folded, stacked, and packed in cartons.

EXAMPLE 1 2.61 Mil Gauge Foamed 3-Ply Bag

A 2.61 gauge foamed 3-ply bag was prepared as follows. Polymer melt is fed into an 8 inch diameter blown film die forming three coextruded layers in an ABA configuration. The skin (A-A) layers are extruded from a single 21/2 inch diameter 30/1 extruder while the B or core layer is provided by a similar 21/2 inch diameter 30/1 or a 11/2 inch diameter 28/1 extruder. The skin layers contain typically a 0.920 g/cc density, 1.0 melt index LPLLDPE¹ polymer while the core layer consists of a 0.920 g/cc density, 2.0 melt index HPLDPE² blended with 3 percent by weight of a pelletized chemical blowing agent³ which contains 12 percent active azodicarbonamide. The skin layers consist of a throughput of approximately 60 lbs/hr. evenly split between the outer and inner piles and extruded at a melt temperature in the 420°-450° F. range. The core layer is extruded at 25 lbs/hr with a melt temperature of 390°-400° F. A blow up ratio of 2:1 was used and the take off speed is adjusted to obtain the finished thickness required.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE A 1.54 Mil Gauge Unfoamed 3-Ply Bag

For the purpose of comparison, the procedure of Example 1 was essentially repeated, except that the foaming agent was omitted from the melt stream corresponding to the center ply. Properties of the Example 1 and Comparative Example A bags are given in Table 1.

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                                                       COM-                                                                           PARATIVE                                                            EXAMPLE 1  EXAMPLE                                          PROPERTY           BAG        A BAG                                            ______________________________________                                         GAUGE (MILS) BASIS     1.48       1.54                                                      FOAMED    2.61       --                                           % Δ ρ        -43%       --                                           LB YIELD     MD        2.68       2.28                                                      TD        1.99       2.43                                         LB ULT       MD        4.82       5.51                                                      TD        3.58       4.57                                         % ELONGATION MD        376        423                                                       TD        617        810                                          TEAR (GMS)   MD        273        169                                                       TD        1337       464                                          ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE 2 1.57 Mil Gauge Foamed 3-Ply Bag

The procedure of Example 1 was essentially repeated except that the take-off speed was increased to produce a thinner gauge foamed 3-ply bag.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE B 1.02 Mil Gauge Unfoamed 3-Ply Bag

For the purposes of comparison, the procedure of Example 2 was essentially repeated, except that the foaming agent was omitted from the melt stream corresponding to the center ply. Properties of the Example 2 and Comparative Example B bags are given in Table 2.

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                                                   Comparative                                                          Example 2 Example B                                                            Bag       Bag                                                  ______________________________________                                         GAUGE (MILS)                                                                               BASIS     1.02        1.02                                                     FOAMED    1.57        --                                           LBS. YIELD  MD        1.60        1.63                                                     TD        1.38        1.65                                         LBS ULTIMATE                                                                               MD        3.40        4.33                                                     TD        2.50        2.89                                         % ELONGATION                                                                               MD        310         412                                                      TD        605         721                                          TEAR (GMS)  MD         99         164                                                      TD        1013        861                                          ______________________________________                                    

The bags of Examples 1 and 2 have a much higher degree of stiffness and structural integrity than corresponding bags where the foamed layer is omitted.

Particularly in view of the high degree of foaming in the foamed layers of Examples 1 and 2, and in view of the relatively poor strength properties of non-linear low density polyethylene films, one would expect the strength properties of the 3-ply film/foam/film system to be imparted essentially by the skin layers. However, the presence of the foam layer was observed to improve the strength of the skin layers in at least two respects.

First of all, by essentially providing a void space between the skin layers, the foamed sandwich structure was observed to undergo an independent tearing mechanism, whereby the respective skin layers would fail independently. In other terms, when the 3-ply system was subjected to tearing forces, one skin layer could bear the brunt of these forces and tear, the other skin layer being insulated from these forces by the foam layer, such that the tearing forces would not be substantially transferred from one skin layer to the other. On the other hand, the non-foamed system of the Comparative Examples was not observed to undergo such an independent tearing mechanism. Both skin layers of the non-foamed system failed at once, the unfoamed innermost layer apparently being incapable of insulating one skin layer from forces subjected to the other.

A particularly unexpected result achieved by means of interposing a foamed layer between the skin layers in Examples 1 and 2 was the improvement in TD tear strength.

Although the Example 2 structure shows a decrease in MD tear strength in comparison with the Comparative Example B structure, this decrease is felt to be attributable to presence of elongated void spaces in the foam layer of the Example 2 structure. Accordingly, the MD tear strength of the Example 2 structure could be improved by optimizing the foaming conditions to produce a larger number of less elongated voids.

The present invention may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the elements or method steps described herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A three-ply plastic bag structure comprising a U-folded layflat joined at two ends thereof by at least one heat seal at each end, the heat seals defining an opening of the bag, said U-folded layflat comprising an upper member and a lower member, the upper member being positioned substantially parallel to and above the lower member, the upper member being joined to the lower member by a U-fold of said U-folded layflat and by the heat seals positioned substantially perpendicularly to the U-fold, the upper and the lower members comprising:(i) outermost and innermost skin layers substantially composed of one or more high performance polyolefin resins, said skin layers being of equal or different thickness, said skin layers each having a thickness between about 0.25 and about 0.50 mils; and (ii) a middle foamed thermoplastic layer having a density of at least 25% less than the density of the corresponding unfoamed version of said layer, the thickness of said foamed layer being between about 0.25 and about 1.5 mils.
 2. A three-ply plastic bag structure according to claim 1 having an overall thickness of 2.5 mils or less.
 3. A three-ply plastic bag structure according to claim 2 having an overall thickness of 1.5 mils or less.
 4. A three-ply plastic bag structure according to claim 3, wherein said skin layers are composed essentially of linear low density polyethylene, said bag structure being suitable for containing trash or garbage.
 5. A three-ply plastic bag structure according to claim 4, wherein said skin layers each have a thickness between about 0.30 and 0.40 mils.
 6. A three-ply plastic bag structure according to claim 5, wherein said foamed layer has a thickness between about 0.5 and 1.0 mils.
 7. A three-ply plastic bag structure according to claim 6, wherein said foamed layer has a void volume between about 30% and about 75%.
 8. A three-ply plastic bag structure according to claim 7 wherein said foamed thermoplastic layer is manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of linear high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, non-linear high density polyethylene, non-linear low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutylene, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers and polyethylene terephthalate.
 9. A three-ply plastic bag structure according to claim 8 wherein said foamed thermoplastic layer is manufactured from non-linear low density polyethylene. 